Featured Japanese Meiji Lacquered Fubako Box Painted with Butterflies

So what I posted before is indeed a piece from green turban snail/shell-just a bigger one?

 

This is Google AI's summary of the size:

• Typical adult size: 18 to 22 cm (7 to 8.7 inches)
• Maximum reported size: Up to 25.2 cm (nearly 10 inches)
• Common size: Often cited as around 18 cm (7 inches)

Even on a 25 cm snail (length, not diameter), where could you cut a single piece that is this big? And we do not see the whole thing in this pic.



If anyone can see how it could be done, I will be happy to learn.

I can see the possibility that what is pictured is actually the rim of a large abalone shell. See this article for pix of the largest of these:

https://briantissot.com/2014/09/07/the-hunt-for-monster-red-abalone/

 

As I said, great green turban shell is a traditional material used in East Asia to make inlays. We don’t have abalone shell that large here, and GGTS is considered more valuable than other shells, it’s a protected species in China.
Also the piece shown in the photo has a length of 25cm approximately.

But I don’t know how that can be cut off either, there’s no video revealing the production process. But I did see craftsman mentioning hot water can soften them to some extent, so perhaps that can be used when cutting the raw material. My guess is they cut the whole piece from this area.

 

Here’s also a photo from a shell supplier, showing the difference in abalone and GGTS. Imo not a fair comparison, as the abalone has black background
A better representation of GGTS:

 

Another page on GGTS from a Japanese museum. Note the Japanese description has more information not mentioned in English text:

A large coiled shell from the family Ryutensae. It is heavy and firm, and both the shell height and shell diameter reach about 20 centimeters. The spiral tower is conical, and there is a knotted spiral rib on the shoulder. The shell is round and the inner surface has a strong pearly luster. It is mainly distributed in the Okinawa Islands, Taiwan, Hainan Island, the Philippine Islands, the Palau Islands, and the Pacific and Indian Oceans off the coast of northern Australia. Most of the raden used in musical instruments, mirrors, and furnishings among the Shoso-in treasures are made of yakougai.

 

If it is indeed possible to straighten material taken from a whorl, then I can see how it could be done.

Perhaps another member will know how to describe it, but the comparison photos show a difference between the nacre of the GGTS & abalone in how the colors are distributed. The turbo's colors are 'smoother', easing into one another. I like both.

 

Both have their own charm, abalone works just fine if used as small pieces like mosaics. But to make something like these you still need GGTS for more uniform color in bigger area:

 

Just so. Abalone is more splotchy.

 

They are both Mother Natures wonderful creatures !!

 

All I'm saying is "oooh wow". If I saw that I'd buy it too!

 

BTW - Noritake made some porcelain hatpin(?) vases to resemble the butterfly lacquer boxes. I saw a friend sell one on US eBay recently. They were most likely all made for export, but you never know. They seem to have been a rarity here, because they were made with proper Japanese designs.

 

You mean this?


Not sure about Japan, but Qing dynasty has produced many butterfly-motif porcelain too

 

The one I saw was brown with gilding, and had what I swore were shell inlays in the wings.

I'd gladly give the blue one a home if it turned up.

 

Got it! https://www.ebay.com/itm/2269889587...k94XMhvxy0hVlKrNNfSjEUsQ==|tkp:Bk9SR47os-_GZg

 

The search link just led me to a black screen. When I whittled it down was able to see the listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/226988958745

 

Effing eBoo strikes again. I forgot.

 

No luck seeing the ebay listing -- even Bronwen's link gives me rover.ebay. Searching the item # comes up nada.

 

It's a Sold item if that helps. I know it was open to international bidders, so it should come up on ebay.ca that way.

 

Noritake Butterfly Tree Bark Porcelain Bud Vase Morimura Bros. Vintage 1930

 

Thanks Bronwen. I should have done that.